Kirk Cousins Will Be Back in the Vikings Conversation
On Sunday night, ex-Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins told reporters that he wanted to return to the Atlanta Falcons in 2026. Two days later, Cousins restructured his contract, an apparent move signaling his upcoming release.
Atlanta’s adjustment to Cousins’ deal gives the rumor mill oxygen, and Minnesota’s need for a credible Plan B at quarterback keeps the theories front and center.
And because the Vikings will need another quarterback to support J.J. McCarthy as a backup — or maybe even take his job — next season, Cousins’ name will be front and center in the purple rumor mill, rest assured.
Falcons Restructure for Kirk Cousins Adds Fuel to Vikings QB Situation
Prepare for Cousins-to-Vikings theories because you will not escape them.
Falcons Tweak Cousins’ Deal
Foremost, the Falcons’ communications team oddly communicated the contractual tweak from an ESPN reporter, which is just bizarre.
Terrin Waack, who writes for the Falcons, scribed Tuesday, “The Atlanta Falcons have reportedly restructured veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins’ contract. ESPN’s Field Yates reported Tuesday the two parties agreed to modify the contract, which does not impact any guaranteed money already owed to Cousins. His 2026 base salary was reduced from $35 million to $2.1 million.”
“His 2027 compensation then gained that $32.9-million difference, creating a $67.9 million vesting guarantee for the 2027 season that would lock in March 13, the third day of the 2026 NFL league year. The Falcons initially signed Cousins in 2024 to a four-year deal worth up to $180 million. They also drafted quarterback Michael Penix Jr. in the first round that year. The plan was for Cousins to be the starter, while Penix developed as the backup.”
While it’s quite weird for the Falcons to report in rumor vernacular, the reporting appears to be true. Cousins’ contract is now more manageable for Atlanta to offload.
PFT Reports Cousins Is Gone
Restructuring a deal should be advantageous for the Falcons, right? Only because Atlanta will drop Cousins, says NBC Sports‘ Mike Florio.
Florio explained Tuesday, “In two months, Kirk Cousins will be waving goodbye to Atlanta. His contract modification was part of a quid pro quo aimed at ensuring his release early in the free-agency period. It will happen with a post-June 1 designation, splitting the $35 million in dead cap money over two years.”
“The movement of the bulk of Cousins’s 2026 salary to 2027 gives the team a lower cap number to carry until the release officially hits the financial books on June 2. The $67.9 million guarantee that vests on March 13 ensures that they’ll release him between the start of the league year on March 11 and the close of business on March 12.”
Therefore, if one trusts Florio’s evidence, Cousins will be free to sign anywhere in March.
Cousins Always a Vikings Candidate
The aforementioned McCarthy has experienced a rocky acclimation to the NFL. He’s missed 70% of all games to injury, and in his first season as a starter, he ranks dead last in efficiency in the NFL among all quarterbacks.
Accordingly, Minnesota might need a strong contingency plan if it recommits to McCarthy in 2026. Because Cousins knows Kevin O’Connell’s offense like the back of his hand and Cousins is now familiar with the role of QB2, he fits what Minnesota might want.
Even when Cousins’ contract was still massive and NFL media thought the Falcons would trade him, the Vikings habitually represented a common-sense landing spot. All the “where will Cousins land?” lists featured Minnesota. Like clockwork.
That won’t change now that Cousins is even more gettable.
The Money Would Be Right — For Once
If the Falcons drop Cousins, per Florio’s prediction, some team can sign him for cheap. Cousins hasn’t worked for cheap since the end of his rookie contract. In fact, the 37-year-old has a Hall of Fame reputation for making money.
Usually, the Cousins theories involve a caveat that the Vikings cannot afford him. That won’t apply in 2026 free agency. For the first time ever, Minnesota could snag Cousins for cheap and ask him to support McCarthy for a year or two.
Florio added about Cousins’ contract, “For Cousins, agreeing to the deal prevented the Falcons from paying his $10 million roster bonus on the fifth day of the league year in March (which is already guaranteed) and squatting on his rights through August, since his $35 million salary for 2026 isn’t guaranteed.”
“Of course, if the bonus were paid, the Falcons wouldn’t have been entitled to an offset. As it stands, the first $10 million Cousins makes for 2026 will be credited to the Falcons. It’s always better to get to the market sooner, and Cousins will be there by the second day of the league year. More importantly, every team now knows that he’ll definitely be available, which means he’ll be a significant factor in the looming quarterback carousel that will spin after the coaching carousel comes to a stop.”
It all boils down to whether the Vikings are willing to look “backward” during a forward-thinking era with McCarthy as the QB1.
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